ONTARIO – David Walker and Geoff Walker share a last name, a uniform and a common purpose: To help the Reign win the first regular-season game in franchise history tonight in Bakersfield.

Other than that, the two Walkers – no relation – represent opposite ends of the current Reign.

David Walker, a veteran 6-foot, 200-pound defenseman, was the first player to sign with the Reign over the summer. This is his fourth ECHL season opener, the previous three coming with the Long Beach Ice Dogs.

“This will be my fourth year playing against that team (Bakersfield).

You kinda get an idea of what style of play their coach wants, what you’re in for,” the 29-year-old Walker said. “As long as we execute, commit to the game plan (coach Karl Taylor) puts forth, we’ll be OK.”

Geoff Walker, a 6-3, 225-pound forward, joined the Reign when he was claimed off waivers Tuesday from the ECHL Phoenix Roadrunners. He has never played professional hockey before this season and reacted quite differently when asked about today’s game.

“I feel pretty nervous, to be honest,” the 20-year-old Walker said.

“I feel excited, I’m really ready to get out there and play. It’s going to be a bit of an adjustment but if I play my game, work hard, I should be fine.”

Forged over two weeks’ worth of practices and two preseason games, the Reign’s first effort should be an interesting one. Taylor has emphasized a defense-first attitude and, if all goes according to plan, the opponents’ score will be lower than either of the preseason contests at Center Ice Arena – a 5-4 shootout win over the Bakersfield Condors and a 4-1 loss to the Las Vegas Wranglers.

The bulk of the Reign’s goal scoring, meanwhile, could fall to anyone.

“We’re probably lacking a little bit of skill up front; that’s probably our weakness right now,” Taylor said. “We’re going to score by committee. You can’t look at our roster and circle three names and say, `stop those guys and we’re OK.’ ”

Taylor said he will start Kings prospect Jeff Zatkoff in goal, with John Murray serving as the backup. It’s the first time Zatkoff, Geoff Walker and six other Reign rookies have started a season in the pros, a statistic one might expect from an expansion team.

But the hostile atmosphere at Bakersfield’s Rabobank Arena (capacity 8,700) will be nothing new to a handful of veterans.

“We have a young team experience-wise, but then we have a group that’s an older group,” Taylor said. “Hopefully they can help the young guys assimilate quicker. If we can do that early on, we should have some success.”